Meir Black Tapware

Meir matte black tapware, showers, accessories and drains

Meir matte black is a flat, non-reflective black finish applied across the whole Meir bathroom: basin and kitchen mixers, wall mixers and spouts, rail and rose showers, towel rails and hooks, floor drains, a door stop and a heated rail. It is an electroplated finish on brass and stainless steel, so a bathroom can carry one black from the basin mixer to the floor grate. This page sets out what is in matte black, with the sizes and ratings that decide whether each piece fits.

People search for it as Meir black tapware, Meir black tap and Meir black shower. For Meir tapware in every finish, see Meir taps, for showers see Meir showers, and for accessories see Meir bathroom accessories.

What is in matte black

The matte black finish

Matte black is flat and strong against pale tiles, white basins and light timber, and it shows the line of a mixer or a rail clearly. It hides water spots better than polished chrome, and fingerprints show on it less than on gloss. Because the finish is electroplated on solid brass or stainless steel, the colour carries across every piece, so a basin mixer, a shower rail and a towel rail match. Keep to one black through the room and avoid mixing it with a similar charcoal or gunmetal, which looks like a near miss.

Basin mixers and spouts

The Meir Round basin mixers are rated WELS 5 star at 6 litres a minute. The standard mixer suits an inset or undermount basin, the tall mixer suits an above counter basin where the spout must clear the bowl wall, and a version with a curved spout gives a softer line. Each needs one tap hole. For a wall mounted basin, the curved wall spouts come in 130mm, rated 5 star at 5 litres a minute and 100mm high, and 200mm, rated 5 star at 5.5 litres a minute and 105mm high. The hob mounted swivel spout reaches 224.5mm, stands 293mm high with a 187.3mm spout height, and is rated WELS 5 star at 6 litres a minute.

Choose the height by the basin and the reach by the wall. A spout should land the water near the centre of the bowl, so measure from the finished wall to the centre of the drain before you choose a wall spout. A mixer that is too short for an above counter basin sends water onto the rim. See Meir taps for the full range of basin mixers.

Kitchen sink mixers

The matte black kitchen mixers are rated WELS 5 star at 6 litres a minute. The Round sink mixer and the Round Squareline sink mixer have a swivel spout for single and double bowl sinks, the Round Piccola is a pull out mixer for reaching the corners of the sink, and the Paddle Round gooseneck stands with a 237mm height to the spout, which suits filling a tall pot. Check the overall height against the window or the cupboard above the sink before you choose. The hob mounted swivel spout can also serve a laundry or a bar sink.

Wall mixers and wall tops

The wall mixers take the tap off the bench and suit a shower, a bath or a basin. The Round wall mixer is 72mm long overall, with a short pin lever version for a smaller plate. The wall top assemblies come as quarter turn handles and as a cross jumper valve version for a traditional look, and the circular wall taps are a pair of ceramic disc taps. Wall mixers and wall taps carry no WELS rating of their own. The body goes in before the tiles, so settle the spout reach, the handle position and the plate while the wall is open.

Showers

The Round rail shower is rated WELS 3 star at 9 litres a minute and stands 700mm tall, and the 3 function rail shower carries the same rating with a 70mm projection. The Round 2-in-1 shower rail set pairs a 300mm rose with a hand shower and projects 509mm, and the combination shower rail with a 300mm rose and hand shower is a version that switches between the two. The 300mm round shower rose is rated 3 star at 9 litres a minute, and the ceiling shower arm is 300mm long. A hand shower on a swivel bracket is the simple replacement.

Settle the height at rough-in. A fixed wall head sits 2000mm to 2100mm above the finished floor, measured to the centre of the arm outlet, and a household taller than 190cm should go to 2100mm to 2200mm. The top of a rail is usually 1800mm to 1900mm. A wall mixer sits 1000mm to 1100mm from the floor, centred in the shower space. A 300mm rose needs good pressure, because large heads give a weak spray on a low pressure supply. See Meir showers for the rest of the range.

Accessories

The matte black accessories come from the Round and the Curvaé families. The Round single towel rail is 600mm long, 580mm overall with a 535mm fixing distance and a 72mm projection, and it is also made in 900mm, with double rails in 600mm. The Curvaé accessories are stainless steel: the toilet roll holder is 170mm long and 29mm high, the single robe hook is 29mm long and 55mm high, the double robe hook is 100mm long and 55mm high, and the double towel rail is 828mm long with a 772mm fixing distance. The fixing distance is the number to measure on the wall, so mark it, level it and check the backing before you drill.

Drains and wastes

The Square floor grate shower drain comes in 50mm, 80mm and 100mm outlets, and the grate has a wide outer edge for tiling and sealing. Choose the outlet by the pipe, and set the drain level and the fall before the tiles go on. The universal pop-up waste suits a basin or a bath and stands 67mm high. A matte black waste on a vessel or wall basin keeps the metal in the room consistent. See Meir wastes and traps for the full set.

Planning a matte black bathroom

Start with the basin, because it sets the mixer height and the tap hole count. Choose the wall mixer and the shower next and settle their positions while the wall is open, because the bodies go in before the lining. Add the accessories and the drain last, in the same black. Matte black works best against light surfaces, such as white tiles, pale timber and plaster, where its line reads clearly, and in a dark room it blends into a calm, dark scheme.

Black fittings are easiest to live with when they are used consistently. If the mixer, the shower, the rail, the hooks and the drain are all matte black, the room reads as one decision. If only one or two pieces are black, the odd piece looks like an accident. Black cabinet handles and a black door stop carry the colour through the rest of the house.

Caring for matte black

Wipe the finish with a soft cloth and warm soapy water, rinse and dry, so water does not set on the surface. Avoid abrasive pads, steel wool, bleach and harsh cleaners, because they strip or dull the coating, and avoid vinegar and acid descalers on coloured finishes. Clean aerators and shower nozzles from time to time. In a hard water area, dry the tap after use. A soft toothbrush clears soap from the grooves on knurled or ribbed pieces.

Before you order

Choose the pieces you need and keep the finish consistent across them. Match the mixer height to the basin and the spout reach to the wall. Settle the shower and wall mixer positions at rough-in. Check that the matte black version is made for the exact piece you want, and confirm the outlet size for any drain.